Thursday, July 24, 2014

Book Review: Where She Went

Title: Where She Went

Series: If I Stay

Author: Gayle Forman

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile

Publication Date: April 5, 2011

It's been three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life.And three years he's spent wondering why.When their paths cross again in New York City, Adam and Mia are brought back together for one life-changing night.Adam
finally has the opportunity to ask Mia the questions that have been
haunting him. But will a few hours in this magical city be enough to lay
their past to rest, for good - or can you really have a second chance
at first love?

My Review

If you haven't read If I Stay, be warned. There are some spoilers in this review, but my review for If I Stayis spoiler free if you want to check that out and see if you want to give this duo by Gayle Forman a try.

After the the tragic accident that left her an orphan, Mia has a hard time dealing with life and what to do with hers.
I loved that Forman made Mia a little bit unlikeable in this book for those reasons. No one will ever be the same after the loss of a parent or a loved one. Her attitude is completely understandable and spot on in this novel. She lost her entire family. She moves
to New York to go to school, and she eventually stops calling Adam,
even though he is trying to reach out to her.

Years later, Adam
finds himself angry at the world, and I just found this to be so intriguing. The once kindhearted soul has hardened a bit, and he's kind of sexy because of that. One night, after being given the day
and night off after a terrible blow up with a reporter, he finds himself
in front of Mia's concert. He gets himself a ticket, and at the conclusion of the show, he is
ushered backstage at Mia's request. From there, the two of them spend
the night together and rehash the past. Will it be enough for them? Or
will they go their separate ways again?

Wow.

First of all, I loved If I Stay,
but I loved this sequel even more. It is perfect. More of Mia
and Adam's past is revealed, and it's wonderful to be able to learn even more about this couple that captivated the world. More of their secrets are told, both new and old. I just want to kick
myself for waiting so long to read these books, even though I know that Where She Went is a new release.

The thing you need to know about this novel is that it's
told from Adam's perspective, which I think is an absolutely wonderful
choice. Adam narrating really helps complete the Mia/Adam love story. We, as readers get to learn more about him and how he dealt with
the grief of losing Mia's family and eventually Mia. It's also more contemporary than If I Stay because there aren't any paranormal elements to this one (no out of body experiences).

Forman is just amazing at telling stories. I want more from her. I wouldn't mind seeing another sequel, but I would be okay if this is where Ms. Forman ends it because it was a beautiful ending to a tragic story.

I feel the same way you do, Erin! I loved Where She Went even more than If I Stay. I loved hearing Adam's perspective on things, for me his story made him such a compelling character, flaws and all. I loved learning more about their history, too. Are you dying for a movie of this one, too? I feel like it would be very Before Sunrise-esque (great movie!) :)

Erin is a twenty-something-year-old lover of words and fictional worlds. When she's not reading or reviewing YA, she can be found teaching or fangirling about Star Wars, Harry Potter, and The Hunger Games. Her other interests include the Pittsburgh Penguins, sewing, and exploring her hometown.

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The books that are reviewed on this blog have been purchased by me unless otherwise stated. If a publisher or author has sent a book to me for review, it will be clearly stated at the top of the review. I do not receive monetary compensation for any of my reviews.